A total of 18 child predator suspects face more than 100 combined charges after a roundup operation in Polk County in early April. "Operation April's Fools" drew resources from more than a dozen local law enforcement entities to crack down on sex crimes targeting children.
Undercover detectives posted "fictitious" ads or profiles online, posing as children as young as 13-years-old and sometimes as parents of young children. Many of the suspects solicited these fake profiles for sex acts, some asking for or providing pornographic material, some driving to a specified location to follow through with the aforementioned sex acts.
Six suspects were from Polk County, while all but one of the remainder traveled in from around the state. One suspect resides in Alaska and was visiting Polk County. The suspects ranged in age from 19 to 60 years old.
Among the suspects is Keith Ingles, a former firefighter with Polk Fire Rescue. He now runs a repair shop in his backyard in Lakeland.
"He wanted to have sex with a child of only 14," said Sheriff Grady Judd holding an old picture of Ingles in his firefighting uniform. "He sends his picture out so he can impress the very young girls."
22-year-old Christopher John Smith, of Deltona
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-2)
19-year-old Arthur Joseph Nelson, of Orlando
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-2)
- One count Transmit Harmful Materials to Minor (F-3)
- One count Possession of Paraphernalia (M-1)
26-year-old Jeffrey Erich Binder, of Winter Garden
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-2)
21-year-old Michael Fernandez, of Ocoee
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-2)
- One count Possession of Marijuana (M-1)
20-year-old Michael Dean Thompson, of Ponte Vedra
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child & Misrepresent Age (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-2)
28-year-old Jerin Jolly James, of Celebration
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child & Misrepresent Age (F-2)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-2)
26-year-old Alejandro Pineda, of Haines City
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child & Misrepresent Age (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Transmission of Material Harmful to Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-2)
60-year-old Howard Bishop III, of Lake Alfred
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child & Misrepresent Age (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Solicit Parent or Guardian (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Sexual Battery on a Minor (F-1)
20-year-old Robert Michael Gordon, of Clermont
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-3)
32-year-old Mahesh Radhakrishnan, of Lake Mary
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-3)
28-year-old Preston Lee Bousquet, of Daytona Beach
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-3)
- One count Possession of Marijuana (M-1)
- One count Possession of Paraphernalia (M-1)
26-year-old Tyler James Knight, of Davenport
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-3)
24-year-old Pedro Emilio Portillo, of Apopka
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-3)
22-year-old Samuel Orlin Hightower, of Anchorage, Alaska;
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- Three counts Transmission of Material Harmful to Minor (F-3)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-3)
- One count Possession Cocaine (F-3)
- One count Possession of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (F-3)
- Two counts Possession Paraphernalia (M-1)
19-year-old Joshua Dean Southerland, of Davenport
- One count Use of Two -Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Attempted Lewd Battery (F-3)
33-year-old Larry Alfred Treharn, Jr., of Naples
- One count Use of Two-Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- One count Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
- One count Traveling to Meet a Minor (F-2)
- One count Transmission of Material Harmful to Minor (F-3)
- One count Lewd/Lascivious Conduct (F-2)
- One count Use of Firearm During Felony (F-2)
- One count DWLSR (M-2)
- One count Loitering/Prowling (M-2)
59-year-old Keith Hartford Ingles, of Lakeland
- Four counts Use of Two-Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- Four counts Use of Computer to Seduce Child (F-3)
24-year-old Brantley Ashton Thompson, of Auburndale
- Seven counts Use of Two-Way Communication Device to Commit Felony (F-3)
- Seven counts Transmission of Material Harmful to Minor (F-3)
